What is the most efficient way to build your reputation using the Chinese Internet? Of course, there is a multitude of answers for this question, regarding to the specificities of each sector or each company. Here is a focus on the strategy of leading brand in China.
Social Presence in Chinese Internet
The social animation starts on the brand’s website. For instance, when you go on the website of Rolex, you can see on the top right all the tools to share, comment and publicize the page you are looking at. We can notice that in none of the luxury websites, you have forums or comments directly on the website but many of them have a page on SNS.
From the website, the links toward SNS are of 2 categories.
– “Tell a friend”, simply through email or through Tecent, Weibo, etc.
– Get access to the official page on the SNS or follow the account
The first item is done by most brands whereas the second one is only done by the most advanced on the internet and also the ones which have a popularity crossing all the income classes such as Louis Vuitton as opposed to Rolex.
Burberry displays live fashion shows and cat walks on its SNS fan page. Video and audio are generally put first, and displayed by a tailor-made tab named “Burberry’s Acoustics” for music and videos. Dolce & Gabanna is another interesting example. D & G’s SNS link redirects to its official page directly. Like many in this category, its page has large amount of videos and photo galleries from marketing campaigns to catwalks.
We can have a look at the presence of one of the most famous luxury brands: Louis Vuitton. It is to notice that the work done by Louis Vuitton is of high quality. It is a really impressive work done with all the history, many contents and news on their SNS pages.
A chronology is on the right side. It is totally adapted to the luxury brands which emphasize on the history. Events and PR efforts are displayed in real time as it is showed on the picture on the right side. As well, it is a way to display in real time the stars who are wearing Louis Vuitton.
Which luxury brands are the most efficient on Chinese SNS
According to the data below, the automotive brands are the most efficient on the two leading SNS support for luxury brand, video platform Youku and “Chinese Twitter” Sina Weibo. Indeed, BMW, Audi and Cadillac share the leading position on both platforms. Fashion labels such as Dior or Coach are following (please click on the picture to see it bigger).
Besides advertisement that luxury brands do in a very cautious way in order to keep their image intact, preserved and high-end, luxury brands will be more interested in providing accurate and precise information about their products since the attraction is already done or realized through something magic linked to the “star system” or the feelings generated through the brand. Luxury brands care about not doing too much and doing it at the right place and at the right time. Internet has different criteria than the real economy.
Amy Wang, To know more about Branding in China
https://www.techinasia.com/china-social-marketing-luxury-brands-2012/
https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1345609/why-luxury-brands-need-social-media
